Masquerade
by SnakeEyesHannah
Summary: [3-part story] The war is just around the corner, and so is Halloween. In the spirit of it all, Dumbledore announces a party. The four do the whole dressing-up and everything, but how will it end?
1. Part 1

**Masquerade**

**- Part 1**

_By SnakeEyesHannah_

Ginny Weasley giggled like mad into her pillow she held over her mouth. The mirth was sparkling in her brown eyes as she watched Hermione Granger, her best friend, stand before her in the most ridiculous outfit she had even seen the busy-haired Head Girl in.

It was a tight fitting, armour-looking corset complete with a short skirt and gloves up to her elbows. She looked exactly like that muggle warrior princess Hermione had told her about, Xena or whatever her name was. Hermione, though, didn't seem amused by the situation. She had on her best Head Girl expression, that of disapproving and almost disgust. And the most hilarious thing about the whole situation was that Hermione was glaring at a horned helmet, looking very much like a Nordic Viking-helmet.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, this is not funny!" the brown-haired girl hissed, her gloved hands on her hips. Ginny didn't reply, she couldn't have even if she wanted. Her shoulders were shaking from laughter and she was almost choking on the pillow after pressing it over her mouth so hard.

"I can't believe I let myself get talked into this!" the year older girl said exasperated. Ginny let the pillow drop to her knees, grinning widely.

"You look absolutely smashing, 'Mione", she informed her friend. Hermione huffed and unsuccessfully tried to pull her skirt down an inch or two. In her opinion it was far too short to be even _considered_ a skirt, but to Ginny it was just any other skirt. She owned one or two skirts like that herself, in fact.

"I can't believe Dumbledore allowed this masquerade!"

Ginny snickered, not bothered to inform the Head Girl she had been all for the Halloween-party just last week. She grinned wider as she remembered the sudden change of heart her friend had shown after Ron, Ginny's older brother and Hermione's best friend (and secret crush), had informed the foursome that they would wear matching outfits – like ancient warriors.

"Seriously, Hermione, you'll floor Ron once he sees you in that", Ginny soothed the almost hysteric girl. Hermione's brown eyes widened slightly and she stopped in mid-rant. She turned her head from glaring at the helmet on the bed beside Ginny to actually face the redhead. Ginny smiled; Ron had always been Hermione's weakest point.

"Have you seen your costume?"

Hermione only needed two seconds to recover and resume her scandalised tone and rant. Ginny's brow furrowed and she tilted her head, her vibrant red hair spilling down over her shoulder. Now that she thought about it, Ron had only delivered Hermione's outfit.

"No", she replied, "but I'm sure it'll be covering more than yours if Ron's the one to order the outfits..." Ginny knew her brother; he did everything he could to maintain this image of the innocent 10-year-old that was crushing on a certain Harry Potter. It had been "safe" like that; he hadn't needed to worry about what boy to torture and/or kill.

The older witch groaned and began to tug the gloves off. "I can't believe Ron would actually give me something like this to wear!" she almost whined. _Almost_, since Hermione doesn't whine. "He and Harry will probably come dressed in complete armour, like knights..." Her eyes narrowed and she threw the gloves on the bed, muttering under her breath as she tried to get out of her corset-like outfit.

Ginny tuned out Hermione's muttering as she had probably heard it all over and over again millions of times before when Hermione was angry at her brother. Her thoughts wandered to the day a month ago when Dumbledore had stood up at dinner, announcing the masquerade to the students. "We all could definitely use the break from heavy workloads", had been his reason, but Ginny knew it wasn't the real reason. The war was just at the door and notices of attacks were streaming in with increasing speed. Still, she was glad the Headmaster had thought of them all. Merlin knew they could use the time away to just enjoy themselves.

--

Harry Potter looked up from his History of Magic essay as he heard Ron call his name. The raven-haired wizard spotted his best friend easily among the students in the Gryffindor common room, not only because of the famous red Weasley-hair but also for the length of said friend.

"Hey Ron, I thought Hermione and you were patrolling the corridors", Harry said as his best friend ploughed his way through the students. He was carrying a package under his arm and a smug grin on his face.

"We were", the prefect said with a shrug as he flung himself down in the nearest unoccupied armchair by the fire. "I told 'Mione I had to pick up our costumes for the masquerade and she let me go..."

Harry looked surprised. "Really? She let you go? Just like that...?"

Ron shrugged, tossing the package to Harry who caught it easily. "She fussed a little because I was leaving her alone on patrol, but basically she just let me go." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Now that you mention it, she acted a little odd about the whole thing", he admitted and scratched his head.

Harry rolled his emerald eyes at his oblivious friend and opened the brown wrapping of the package. He looked up at Ron as he picked up a hipcloth and a belt. He shot the redhead a doubtful look. "What is this?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"Your costume, what else?" Ron stated as a matter of factly. _Hermione must be rubbing off on him_, Harry thought absent-mindedly.

"Where's the rest of it?" Harry asked, looking down into the package again. Only a pair of brown leather boots, a golden armcuff and two armour-looking wristbands remained in it.

Ron looked at Harry with a confused look on his face for a short second before he slapped his forehead and rolling his eyes at himself. "I almost forgot", he laughed. Harry breathed out in relief. "The sword isn't ready until tomorrow." Harry realized he had breathed too soon.

"So this is all I'm wearing?"

"Uh-huh..."

Harry shook his head, tossing the pieces back into the wrapping. "No wonder why 'Mione was acting strangely", he muttered under his breath, wondering what Hermione's outfit looked like...

--

"Only two days to go", Ron beamed the next morning as he and Harry made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, Ron talking about how much fun this masquerade was going to be. Harry barely listened, still feeling too sleepy to think about the masquerade.

Ron was probably the most excited one in Hogwarts when it came to the Halloween-party in two days. To Harry it was a nice distraction from N.E.W.T-studying (Hermione had made them start early "...because I _know_ how stressed out and behind the two of you will get!") and just a time for some fun.

They settled at the Gryffindor table, Ron continuing to talk about the masquerade, probably more excited now since he had more listeners in Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas.

Heads turned upwards as the owl-post arrived. Harry scanned the pack of owls after his own, Hedwig. He spotted the snow-white owl easily and held out his arm for her. It was rare she actually brought something to him, but it didn't matter to Harry.

"Here you go, girl", he cooed, giving her a piece of bacon before she took off again. Harry returned his attention to his table again and found that Ron had received yet another package with brown wrapping. _Another outfit_, Harry thought dully.

And sure enough, just as Ginny entered the Great Hall, Ron waved her over, with Ginny rolling her eyes at him, and handed her the package.

"There you go", he said plainly. Ginny looked confused, and a little frightened, as she turned the package around, thinking it was another prank Fred and George sent him or something. "It's your costume", Ron said, his mouth full of bacon and eggs.

"Thanks", Ginny replied, with a slightly disgusted face as she watched her brother stuff his face like he hadn't eaten for years. She placed the package on the bench beside her, filling her plate with food.

"You're not going to open it?" Ron asked, looking disappointed.

"If you were the one to order my outfit - you should know what it looks like", Ginny retorted without sparing her brother a glance as she pulled out her Charms textbook and began to read.

--

"Honestly, Ron", Hermione poked the redhead with her free hand as the three were heading from Care of Magical Creatures to Charms, "I don't understand why you say that annoying... wrinkled... smelly old bat actually is a good teacher!"

"Just because you don't like her", Ron retorted. "She _has_ given me an E!" he said proudly.

Hermione snorted and tightened her already firm grip on her precious bookbag. "That should be enough reason to prove my point", she muttered under her breath.

"You're saying I'm dumb?!"

"No, Ronald, I'm saying you got an E for making up different gruesome ways you or Harry will die. That is _not good_!"

Harry only rolled his eyes, not really keen on breaking his two fighting beat friends up. It had been too long since he stopped caring about those two once they were at it. If you stayed out of it and let the bickering end by itself they would be fine within the following two hours since neither of them seemed capable of spending more time than that not talking to each other. It was painfully clear to everyone, and that would include _everyone_ but themselves, that they were meant to be together.

"-you're Miss Perfect", Ron was just saying, mocking her, "and every teacher's pet doesn't mean we all are!"

Hermione let out a frustrated groan, looking like she could kill Ron any minute, before stomping off in advance, settling at a desk close to the front with a Hufflepuff-girl. Ron, being the mature one, made a face behind her back before seating himself in the back, spending the entire class glaring at the back of Hermione's head.

--

The bell rang for lunch an hour later and it seemed to snap Ron out of his trance. He looked around with a sort of panicked look on his face. They exited the classroom and headed for the Great Hall, Ron flipping through his notebook in case he had, by some miraculous luck, written something down about today's class.

"Please tell me you've taken notes", he pleaded to Harry.

"Sorry mate", Harry shrugged as they entered the Great Hall, finding seats by the Gryffindor table. He reasoned he could either use Hermione's later or snag it off Seamus or any of the other boys.

His answer didn't sit too well with Ron who let out a strangled groan and began pounding his head against the table, muttering to himself.

"You'll loose even more brain cells doing that", Hermione's voice told him. Ron looked up to find her looking down on him with a disapproving look.

"Like you'd care."

"Yes I would", she replied as she sat down, fingering on the back of her notebook. Ron seemed to notice because he suddenly looked more innocent and sweet, smiling at Hermione.

"Hermione, sweetest, you know I never really meant those things I said before. You really aren't an insufferable know-it-all", he buttered her up. "And you're absolutely right; Trelawney is a total fraud and I can't believe she gave me and E! It's an outrage. She shouldn't even be allowed to teach any more!"

Hermione bit back a smile and looked at the redhead with an air of indifference, waiting to hear what else he had to offer. Secretly she loved it when they made up again after a fight – he would say anything to make her "forget" why she was mad at him. Naturally it always failed since he was a bad liar and she knew him too well – but it was all in good fun.

"-and, and... You're definitely the smartest girl in the school. Maybe in the entire world! And you're very good with spells - a very powerful witch." He snapped his fingers, trying to come up with some more compliments. "And a pretty one too!"

Hermione blinked – staring at Ron with surprise written all over her face. He had called her a genius numerous times before, but not once had he said she was pretty. Ron too seemed to have realized what he had said, because he snapped his mouth shut and stared down on his plate, his ears and neck growing redder by the second.

Harry, who hadn't been paying much attention to the couple, almost choked on his pumpkin juice. All around them the conversations died out as the word spread that Ronald Weasley had just called Hermione pretty.

All Gryffindor's held their breaths; would the secret be out? Was Ron finally about to tell Hermione how he felt?

With a trembling hand, Hermione pulled her notebook out of her bag and held it out for Ron to grab. She was still shocked, to say the least. Ron took the book off her hands without looking directly at her, only mumbling a quiet 'thanks'.

"R-right", Hermione started, even her voice trembling slightly. "Er... It should be on page 58 if I'm not mistaken", she informed her friend, trying to rid both of them the embarrassed situation they had gotten into.

Soon the chatter started up again as it was clear that the two weren't going to proclaim their undying love for each other today. Ginny chose this moment to fling herself down on the bench beside her brother, opposite Harry. She smiled in greeting to Hermione who only nodded in return.

"Can you believe it?" she leaned over the table and whispered to Harry.

Harry grinned and shook his head. "I was so sure they were going to admit it all!" He glanced over at Ron and Hermione, both sitting picking at their food, determinedly not looking at each other. "Almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Good thing they didn't, though", Ginny whispered back, smiling slightly as she watched her brother and best friend.

"Why? Don't you want them together?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised in question.

Ginny waved her hand, shaking her head. "No, no, of course I want them together." She turned back to Harry. "Just not now. You see, we have a pool going. As to when they will finally come clean. I put my money on the masquerade. So... Two days to go." She grinned again and gave him thumbs up.

"Who else is in on it?"

"Oh, just about every Gryffindor", Ginny shrugged, once again looking at the couple in question. "Naturally some of the teachers know and they've placed some bets. I think mum and dad are in on it too... I'd be surprised if they weren't."

"So you're basically telling me there's this illegal gamble going on with just about everyone concerning Ron and Hermione's love life?" Harry asked with disgust.

Ginny nodded.

"Why the bloody hell didn't you inform me on this sooner? I want in!"

--

**Author's note:** Hope ya'll liked it. Next part up soon! Review, please.

**Disclaimer:** They all belong to one JK Rowling


	2. Part 2

**Masquerade**

**- Part 2**

_By SnakeEyesHannah_

"Ginny, can you help-…"

A gasp escaped the brown-haired Head Girl as she, with her arms full of books and parchments, entered the 6th year dormitory.

Hermione promptly dropped almost all her precious books as she stopped dead in her tracks once she spotted the red-haired witch. Ginny giggled and rushed over to her friend, kneeling and helping her pick up the dropped books.

"Gee, Hermione, you ought to be more careful with those books", she teased.

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, not so touched by the redhead's teasing insult. She looked the younger witch up and down as the two of the stood up, Ginny handing Hermione the books. For once, Ginny didn't blush. "I don't know what to say", Hermione said after a moment of silence. A shadow of jealousy flashed across her face before she grinned widely and did a thumbs up (the best she could with a truckload of books in her arms).

"Say it'll due", Ginny said in an insecure voice. She may not have blushed when she was looked at, but her insides were squirming. The outfit she had on now, that she was going to wear in front of the entire school in less than two days, was showing more than she ever had before.

"It will do no such thing", Hermione said firmly. Ginny's heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She knew she could never pull off wearing this. "Once you do your hair, put some makeup on and we're in the Hall", Hermione continued, "it'll look good enough to knock everyone out!"

Ginny could have slapped her friend if she hadn't been too excited about her words. She smiled and settled for poking the older witch. "I thought you were going to say I looked hideous!" Hermione laughed out loud, still beaming at Ginny.

"You poor, ignorant little girl", she teased.

Ginny's face grew darker. Even though the words were spoken in the soft, teasing voice of her best friend they brought back memories she wished she'd never experienced. Hermione's features suddenly turned into a paler, taller and rather stunning boy with a dark, menacing voice.

"_Poor, ignorant little girl…"_ it mocked her. "_Pining after someone who doesn't even know you exist. How do you live with yourself?"_

"_I thought you were my friend, Tom!"_

_"Friend? Ha! I was never your friend, Ginevra. You're pathetic… No-one will save you now… Where is the mighty Harry Potter now, I ask you, silly girl? You fawn over him like he is a god. He is a spoiled boy who never cared for you!"_

_"You're wrong, Tom! Harry isn't spoiled! He's the kindest, sweetest, most-…" _

_"So you say, Ginny, but I ask you again: where is your Prince Charming now?" _

-

"Ginny?"

Ginny blinked, adjusting her eyes to the brightness of the room she was in. Hermione's worried face swam into vision.

"Ginny! You're okay… Ginny, what happened?"

"What?" Ginny rose to her elbows, trying to remember what exactly she was doing on the floor of her dorm and how she got there. She blinked several more times. The room looked just as it had last she remembered it, and looking down on herself she saw she was still in the costume she was supposed to wear for the Halloween-party.

"Ginny, you went pale and started shivering and fell to the floor!" Hermione's voice rippled with concern. Ginny shuddered and by the aid of Hermione stood up.

"Sorry, bad memory", she waved it off. Hermione looked like she was going to say something else about it, but just that second Ginny's dorm mates decided to come back and interrupted any further enquiring by the Head Girl. Ginny hadn't felt more grateful for them.

-

Later that night Ginny lay awake, listening to the silence. She was really too sleepy to be awake at two in the morning, but the flashback earlier had thrown her off balance and she was afraid of going to sleep for the first time in several months.

She flipped over to her stomach and buried her face in the pillow, groaning. Just when she had started to sleep well with no dreams, when she was starting to see some progress, she fell back. She had promised herself that she wouldn't have any nightmares this year. She hadn't had a single one all summer… But with one step forward, she came crashing two steps back. Life just wasn't fair.

A half an hour later Ginny rolled out of bed and put on a pair of sweats, thinking she could as well wait in the morning downstairs as here. On silent toes she left the dorm and entered the dark common room. She shivered slightly and wrapped her arms around herself. The fires had burnt down a long time ago, but it didn't really bother Ginny now.

Without lighting anything, and without bumping into anything, Ginny made her way to her usual chair by the fire. She settled down and tucked her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs.

She felt herself drifting off to sleep just when someone called her name. Ginny quickly sat up in her chair, forcing her eyes open.

"Ginny…?"

She relaxed and smiled as she turned her head around the chair and spotted Harry at the foot of the stairs leading to the boys' dormitories. "Hi Harry", she replied softly and turned away from him.

"What're you doing up?" Harry's sleepy voice asked.

"Couldn't sleep", Ginny lied quickly. Her answer was met by silence. She started to believe she only dreamt Harry ever came down when she saw him pass by her chair. He seated himself in the chair opposite hers.

"Why are you up?" he asked again, looking into her eyes.

Ginny was glad for the darkness all of a sudden as she blushed under his intense stare. She inwardly groaned again. She was definitely falling into old patterns if she was blushing in Harry's presence.

"Gin?"

"I told you, I couldn't sleep", Ginny persisted. Harry said nothing, but Ginny knew he was waiting for the rest. "I had another nightmare", she admitted quietly when the silence was getting too pressing.

"I'm sorry", Harry mumbled awkwardly, putting his hand over Ginny's instinctively. It comforted Ginny, feeling his warmth and his concern go through his hand and into her own. It was like Harry was wrapping a cocoon around her.

"It's not your fault."

"Was it about… _Tom_?"

Ginny nodded. Hearing the name being uttered with that amount of hate from another person but herself was almost a bit scary, but she also knew that Harry wasn't used to calling him 'Tom' but she was grateful he had.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Harry asked, staring at Ginny's bent head. Her hair flew from side to side as she violently shook her head. Harry sighed quietly. He of all people knew how important it was to talk about these sorts of things, but he also knew that it was so hard. He settled for patting Ginny's hand before letting go of it.

"Whenever you do, I'll be here, okay?" Ginny merely nodded again.

Harry stood up and walked over to Ginny's armchair. She lifted her head when she noticed he was squatting down by it, confusion written all over her face. He smiled weakly before wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.

Ginny blinked several times before she came to her senses and hugged Harry back. It wasn't often Harry did something like that, almost never, and she wouldn't pass out an opportunity like this.

"Thank you", she whispered in his ear before he let go. He smiled again and then left up the stairs to go back to sleep. If he had turned back he would have seen a quiet tear roll down Ginny's cheek.

_They're so alike and yet so different. How can one be so cruel and the other so loving?_ she asked herself, wishing the time had stopped a minute ago so she could have been in Harry's safe cocoon again and feel like nothing would ever harm her.

-

"Good morning", Ron chirped happily as he sat down by the Gryffindor table at breakfast a day later. It still wasn't very early, but it seemed like Ron wasn't the only one overly excited about the Halloween party tonight anymore. The whispers and the giggling were a bit frustrating now.

"What's so good about it?" Ginny muttered darkly, not lifting her head from her arms. Ron shot her a quizzical look, but didn't respond.

"'Morning Ronald", Hermione answered politely. Harry coughed to hide his smirk as Ron blinked owlishly at his friend, the clogs ticking in his head, trying to remember if he hurt her and how. Coming up with nothing Ron sat down across from Hermione and leaned his head downwards so Hermione would look into his eyes.

"What did I do?" he asked worriedly.

"Nothing."

Ron blinked before narrowing his eyes at Hermione. He reached out and gently pushed her chin up so she would look at him properly. Conversations died around them as the whispers spread about Ron's sweet behavior, but neither seemed to care.

"Hey", Ron tried softly, "what's up? I can tell something's wrong."

Harry glanced at Ginny who had lifted her head and was now staring at Ron like he had sprouted antennas. She must have felt his eyes on her and Ginny smiled warmly at him before winking and turning back to see Hermione's reaction. Harry grinned too, feeling oddly happy.

"You haven't done anything, Ronald", Hermione said quietly, her eyes darting left and right, not looking at Ron. "I'm fine, just go back to breakfast", she almost pleaded to him.

"Come with me", Ron blurted out, not really having heard what Hermione just said. The Head Girl blinked, confused. The Gryffindor's close by gasped quietly. "To the Masquerade", Ron elaborated. "I mean, I know we're going, but that's with Harry and Ginny too… Come with me, as my date."

Hermione's eyes seemed like they would pop out of her head any moment and opened and closed her mouth, finding her ability of speech gone. Harry almost laughed out loud at Hermione's expression. Usually it was Ron who was doing the goldfish imitation, but to his credit, Ron looked as calm as ever, his ears not even the tiniest red.

"O-of course", Hermione stuttered a moment later and Ron's face lit up in a smile.

"Great! Harry, pass the bacon, would you, mate?" he said, turning his attention to the breakfast. Harry merely gaped at him and Ron blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing…" Harry said, grinning at his friend. "Nothing at all." He passed Ron the plate of bacon and slapped the red-head's shoulder. "Good on you, mate", he grinned, half envious of his friend's courage to ask the one he fancied out. It took guts, he knew.

-

"So, guys", Ron interrupted the girls' conversation, rubbing his hands together. He leaned down and rested with his arms on the back of the couch the two girls were sitting in and looked between them with a wide smile on his face.

"Yes?" Ginny asked in an annoyed tone.

"Aren't you going upstairs to get ready soon?"

"Ron, it's three hours until the masquerade begins. We have time", Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling a little. Ron looked a little put out, but it didn't stop him from asking the girls again and again if they weren't going upstairs to get ready soon. Finally, Hermione was the one to snap.

"RONALD! If you don't stop asking us we won't go. At all!"

"But 'Mione…" Ron whined. The Head Girl glared at her friend before grabbing Ginny's wrist and half-dragging her up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. As soon as they were out of view, Ron's surprised expression turned into a triumphant one. "I rule!" he proclaimed to Harry, pumping his fists up in the air victoriously.

"Whatever you say", Harry sighed, rolling his eyes at the redhead.

-

**Author's note:** So terribly sorry for the long wait! I've hit writer's block when it comes to this story but I promise I'll finish it - don't worry. lol Anywho, hope you like this one! The Masquerade will be next chapter... And the whole nightmare-scenario had no real plot to it, just so Harry could be sweet to Gin, in case you were wondering!


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